When parents sense that there is a difficulty with their child’s speech or language development, they are often faced with the difficult decision of how long should they wait before they seek professional assistance. It is important to keep in mind that early diagnosis of speech and language difficulties and treatment by professional speech-language pathologists can significantly increase the chances of improvements.
What is a speech or language problem?
A difficulty may exist if a child exhibits a delay or a disorder in the area of speech or language. Speech is defined as the way language is spoken or the production of sounds and syllables. Language is defined as the process of understanding and verbally expressing information. Speech therapy treats various difficulties related to verbal communication, such as lisps, voice disorders, language or speech delays, fluency difficulties (stuttering), and difficulties with listening skills and pragmatics (the way language is used in social situations).
What are the symptoms?
You may want to consult a speech-language pathologist if you identify one or more of the following symptoms if your child. Please note that the following is only a general guideline and is not all-inclusive. Many factors are considered in making a diagnosis.
Birth to 12 months
Avoids eye contact
Does not turn head when name is called
Rarely babbles or is usually quiet
Does not enjoy social play (such as peek-a-boo)
12 to 18 months:
Does not say “Mama” or “Dada”
Does not point to interesting objects
Does not point to common body parts when asked
Does not use several single words unprompted
Does not wave ‘hi’ and ‘bye’
18 to 24 months
Has difficulty pointing to picture or object when named
Tunes out others frequently
Does not use 2-word phrases
Has difficulty with following simple directions
Does not understand approximately 50 words
24 to 36 months
Does not show affection for playmates
Does not speak clearly 90% of the time and it is difficult to understand him/her
Does not speak in at least three- to four-word sentences
Does not imitate adults and playmates
Preschool Age (3 to 5 years)
Does not use 5- to 6- word sentences (speaks in short phrases instead of complete sentences)
Has difficulty comprehending or following commands
Has difficulty with clarity of speech and is difficult to understand
Omits ending from words, distorts sounds, or phoneme omissions
School Age (5 to 12 years)
Uses vague language that leaves the listener confused (i.e., difficulty with retelling stories or event)
Frequently needs verbal directions repeated
Difficulty maintaining topic of conversation or making unrelated comments
Does not use imagination to create stories
A RED FLAG SHOULD BE RAISED WHEN THERE IS A GENERAL CONCERN SHARED BY PARENTS OR TEACHERS REGARDING THE CHILD’S COMMUNICATION SKILL.
The ability to communicate is a beautiful gift. Help your child nurture the gift of communication.
